


Small Details

by winterhats



Category: Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: F/M, I don't even know what this is?, dumb au, gonna add lots of other character tags later zzz
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7250302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterhats/pseuds/winterhats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's kind, and that's what's driving her mad. Or maybe she's just stubborn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative title: self-indulgent. Dumb cop au I keep mentally digressing about~
> 
> Also just imagine them in uniforms. You think about Haruka and it's just adorable but you think about Takane and it's just a turn on. I hope it's not only me, I'd be worried.

The hospital was quick to be crowded, something she would have liked to avoid. But as it is obvious enough, it couldn't be helped. There weren't actually many of her co-workers, but Takane still thought it was an unnecessary amount. She could be here by herself and do the work just fine, probably even better than with other people around. Then again, no one ever listens to her, as they keep managing to get people to accompany her in vain. Because in the end, all they do is hold her back.

"Uh, Enomoto-san?"

For a second, she hears her own name as something empty. She did hear, but she just doesn't feel like she should answer. That, again, it only is for a second. She's fast to acknowledge she has to give a proper response.

"Yeah," it sounds more like she's affirming something rather than answering. The owner of the voice is, of course, the person that's been her new nightmare for the past week. Well, not _nightmare_ , that apparently isn't the word. The exact word is actually _partner_.

"I think we should tell the others to wait outside?" Haruka seems to have thought the same thing as her before, of how ridiculous was the presence of more officers. Well, excluding the "working alone" thing, because this man does have a liking to working partners. That's the start of why Takane can't stand him.

"Great!" she turns at him, looking at the surprise of his face after hearing that change of tone from her. "That's a great idea. You go tell them and y'all wait for me outside, got it?"

"Wait, wait–" her forced smile falls away once Haruka doesn't count that as the end of the conversation. "I'm supposed to be with you, and to help you."

"You'd be helping me by doing what I just told you to," Takane knows she's being not only cold, but harsh. The thing is she doesn't care. She likes to think that he had already understood that she isn't really excited about being paired up with him, or anyone on the matter.

"I just think..."

"Okay, whatever you want. Don't do anything then, just be quiet."

"But I think everyone's all scared," Haruka insists, looking around the place full of people. "They're probably frustrated enough to be worrying over this."

He's being stupid. But she can't say that. In reality, she can, but she's told him he's stupid around five times just this morning, and even Takane herself has an idea of when to stop. Okay, not stop, but pause. So Takane decides not to answer him; she's sure Haruka'll leave it there. At least for five minutes.

The frustrated people aren't her problem. It's true the hospital staff look bemused, but they're only here to make a few questions over a patient that's been here not long ago and they'll calm down after knowing it. The people sitting in the waiting room look panicked as well, Takane thinks, as she can't do anything about them. It's not her problem to worry, it's simply her job to not worry over something outside her duty.

The recepcionist looks uneasy, typing nervously the numbers of the room Takane just pointed for her to find in the system, and there's when Haruka decides to go again.

"Enomoto-san?"

No, he doesn't seem to have had enough. God, what an annoying human being.

"What is it, Kokonose? If you're going to talk about you saw a dog through the window, keep it to yourself."

"No, no. I just wanted to ask if there's any chance I could assist you in some way," the fact he's treating her so politely boggles her, so Takane only looks at him to find any sign of a joke. She still isn't sure if Haruka's sarcastic or just downright _nice_. "A bit of water? Coffee? There must be coffee somewhere here, right?"

"Ah yes, there's a machine that does include cans of hot coffee in its products! It's turning around the corner!" the recepcionist butts in, gesturing to the way of the waiting room, clearly more comfortable looking at Haruka's kind expression than Takane's glacial stare.

" _Why_  are you offering me that?" she cuts off the friendly aura that has spreaded out of Haruka's mouth, as the recepcionist comes back to quickly type on the keyboard. "Does it even have to do with anything at all?"

"Oh, well, since you don't want me to help you with this I thought I could at least do that," he says, and she hears genuine well-meaning along the words, which doesn't amuse her the slightest. "Enomoto-san drinks coffee after work, I supposed that made her feel better. And you look very upset right now, I thought you'd like to calm down."

Takane's sure she's thought before that the main reason she can't stand him was his eagerness with having a partner. But it wasn't it, no. The main reason it's that Haruka's _kind_.

* * *

 

It's been around a month now. Probably less, since she met her so-called partner.

She was investigating a case and had a presumable witness, therefore she had a potential suspect. Once Takane told her superior about the situation, about that it'd be best to hire an artist to sketch the person's description, she thinks for a moment, and nods. To which she had thought she could leave the room to do as she had said. She stopped her though, and says there actually happened to be a recently transfered co-worker who _draws_.

It weirds her out in many ways at first. Because how could it be possible that the superior knows such a personal thing of someone _recently transfered_? It made no sense, it was ridiculous to think about it. Without mentioning the woman isn't so socially attracted to bond with the people that work in this precinct. Nonetheless, it's basically an order, so Takane had to talk to this person.

That's Haruka, and that's how she meets him. Even after finishing the _only_  job she's called him for, he stuck around for the rest of the case and despite she doesn't like admitting it, he did help considerably to solve it. Then, the wrong part comes into view; Kido, the superior, decided to partner them up.

Something Takane can't be angry about enough.

* * *

 

The hospital staff was practically useless. Yes, they did found out _when_  the suspect was admitted and dismissed, but it helped as much as air. Conveniently, no one knew a thing.

Personally, she thought this stakeout was dumb. It was late in the night, and the service station they were watching has been deserted for the last two hours. There even wasn't a single clue that'd drive them there, it had to be watched to see if that _anonymous caller_  had been right. Anonymous callers don't help. If they want to remain in anonymity, it's for a reason. And the reason is, presumably, bad.

Takane glances at Haruka, because he's been quiet, a thing that for _once_  shouldn't be happening. His stupid voice's been the only thing keeping her awake in the bitterly cold night, and his silence is only encouraging her drowsiness. Fortunately, all it took for him to talk was that simple glance.

"You look exhausted," he says, and it isn't helping at all. She considers to give in to the urge of punching him. "Why don't you sleep? I'll cover you up!"

" _No_ , I don't need sleep," she doesn't need anyone pitying her, thank you very much. It doesn't work that way. Takane briefly hears Haruka sigh in response, and then, he starts digressing about the weather. He says he's seen on the news it's supposed to snow within next week, and that it'd be nice if it actually happened. That he liked snow, basically.

Kenjirou used to talk about the same stuff. He had this thing to talk about the weather. Maybe he just liked to make Takane bored, but she knew it was to keep her awake during the late stakeouts. Still, Kenjirou is not the same as Haruka. Kenjirou, as a response to her cold statements, didn't seal his mouth like Haruka. Singing " _Cruella Deville_ " was what he did. Thinking about her old partner is never a good idea, it only makes her feel that strange thing in her mind– sadness, isn't it? Towards that old, stupid man.

He was the called _veteran cop_  she'd be partnered up with as a beginner. It didn't make her feel thrilled; even in the past, Takane wanted to work alone. Partners are just a waste of time. Kenjirou was nice, and it's not a lie she had managed to bond with him at some point, but for what? For her to mourn afterwards, apparently.

"Enomoto-san?"

Kenjirou also had called her _Takane_  from the very first day. Which she'd actually prefer, because Haruka's voice saying _Enomoto-san_  will probably appear in her future nightmares.

"What is it now?"

"There's a person."

"Well, yes. This is a service station where _people_  come all the time," she sighs, leaning against the glass of the window. She closes her eyes, trying to gather the patience still left in the deepest of her head. "We've seen like a thousand of people come in and out, what–"

Takane immediately opens her eyes once she hears the car's door open and close back, only to find Haruka's seat empty.

* * *

 

Her coffee's getting cold, but surprisingly, she can't bring herself to take a single sip. The night was long, although she fortunately had the time to sleep. That was because she left earlier than she should have, leaving it at Haruka's hand after he ended up _arresting_  someone who could have been an innocent person, so she made it clear to him that he's free to interrogate them and do whatever he pleased _as long_  as he doesn't include her in the matter.

So all she can do is smile and nod when Kido comes into her office wearing an uncharacteristic grin. She places a hand on her hip, lifting the other to show Takane her thumb up, telling her she has done a good job yesterday. Apparently, the person Haruka caught last night was a dealer from a drug ring they've had eyes on for a very long time, but couldn't find.

As soon as Kido leaves, Takane right away grabs the cup of coffee as if that was the only way to wash away her own surprise. She also feels bad, taking part of the credit when she had actually _left_  before her shift was over. It makes her feel like...

_Like I owe him an apology?_

"Takane-san!" an enthusiastic voice kicks her out of her mind, and once she looks up, someone else had stormed into her office. She's been so happy when she finally got an own office, but for what? To people to butt in without knocking? "Congratulations! I've heard you solved this big thing!"

It's Ayano though, so Takane decides to let it go, actually feeling relieved at the sight of, most likely, the only person she can stand in this place. She's someone she's known from the very first day at this precinct, even if it's hard for Ayano to not get along with someone. She's the kind face people see when they walk in, as she welcomes everyone with a big smile from her reception desk.

"I'm not feeling up to this," the fact Ayano's an angel who deserves to be treated with the utmost gentleness possible, doesn't change Takane's in a _bad mood_. So she only looks up at her, massaging her temples with her fingers. "I'd love a vacation."

"Looks like you'll have to wait a while for that..."

"Not from work. But, for, like, having to talk with people."

"I don't think there's a vacation for that, no," Ayano says, keeping a serious face as if she was actually trying to find a solution for this. "So you prefer to not talk about it?"

"I'd prefer to not talk about anything, but here I am, answering," Takane doesn't even feel bad when the other woman frowns, almost pitifully.

"Okay, I'll stop bothering you! Keep up the great work, Takane-san!"

Rarely, Ayano's visit didn't last long like they usually do. Perhaps she noticed that by staying, she wouldn't be achieving anything at all but to receive lazy responses from her. Takane only nods as a way of replying, ready to stand up and lock the door to nap on the desk once Ayano walks out of the room, but something else holds her inside this time.

"Haruka-san, it's great seeing you today!" he's there when she opens the door, smiling sheepishly to both of them, whilst Takane can't help feeling a little dumb at her own drawn attention to the fact these two seem to be in first name basis already. She just thinks this is _Ayano_ , and Ayano is in first name basis with _everyone_. "–What brings you here?"

"Ah, well, I– um," he gestures nervously to Takane, still sitting in the desk with no longer any wish of standing up. "Kido-san had asked me to hand her next week's schedules."

"I get it! Then, I'll be going for real now. I don't want to mess into your important-police-things," she giggles, despite Haruka'd just said it was only about schedules. She walks off without missing the chance to wave again, only receiving a wave back from Haruka and a quiet groan from Takane.

Then, there's silence. It's like he's hesitating in between just staying where he is and walking over her desk, only shifting his weight to one foot to the other for now, as if he was a small child waiting.

That is, until he decides to finally talk, "Um, Kido-san had–"

"I heard you the first time," she's quick to cut him off, and Haruka's also quick to close his mouth. He's just so easily intimidated. "Just give them to me."

The papers are on the desk almost immediately, and Takane's barely capable of muttering a small "thank you." He manages an uneasy smile and for a second, stays still in his spot, as if expecting something else. Of course nothing happened, so it doesn't take long for him to start making his way outside,

"Kokonose,"

She calls out for him before he could reach the door knob, and he even looks _scared_  when he turns around to face her. And in spite of it, the smile is still glued on his expression, "Ah, yes?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to tell you that you did a good job yesterday," saying this is way more preferable than apologizing, although the guilt will most likely make her do it at some future point anyway. Plus, Haruka looks satisfied enough with just that, an inevitable grin taking place on his features as Takane adds, "You shouldn't have included my name on the report, though."

"Ah, that's not a problem," he's talking with much more confidence now, and she can almost hear his casual voice along his sentence. "We're together in this, right?"

_I'd say it's more like we're stuck together._

It's in vain to argue anything back, so Takane only shrugs, letting out her words with a sigh, "Whatever you say. You can leave now."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More dorky stuff, but I'm actually thinking of a plot. Can you believe it?  
> It was going to be way too long, so I'll start with it next chapter. Which I think will be more shippy than this, luckily. Keep in mind this is just dumb self-indulgent~

Her schedules are irregular. They change every week, but Takane still manages to hate every single one of them, because whatever way you look at them, she still has to arrive at morning. Which does _not_ make her happy.

It boggles her to think the amount of paper work she has to do, the arrests orders she has and the few people that she'll have to drill for hours to get answers. Also, to think she'll be seeing her partner's dumb face doesn't fix her day.

–Face she sees once she steps into the office. A smiling face, looking at her direction.

"Good morning!"

"Yeah, morning..."

Another thing; sharing the office isn't amusing at all. Kido was coughing awkwardly when she announced Haruka'd have to be here too, aware of how much she would hate the news. Haruka seems to not mind. He's pretty content with it, if anything.

_"Sorry, I know the conditions you like to work with, but this is final."_

_"Wait, Kido, you can't–"_

_"Enomoto, dismissed. Don't even try to argue over it."_

Garbage.

Haruka's doing some kind of paper work, who cares, and when Takane sits down her eyes inevitably wander over the cup of coffee on her desk. She immediately looks at him, and he's quick to notice her.

"What's this?" she asks incredulously, clearly wanting an explanation rather than a clarification.

"Ah, well," he starts shifting nervously on his seat, although his smile never threatens to go away. "I was making coffee and I thought I could make some for you as well..."

She should thank him. Or at least, think over "oh, how nice of him." But none of those ideas cross her mind, as instead, another sentence took all the space inside her head: morning people are the worst. _Of course_  Takane had to be stuck with one.

Deciding to stay quiet, and probably considering whether she should say "thanks" or not, Takane thinks she's actually already had a coffee, but she won't miss the chance to go a second time. Although the way Haruka's staring so expectantly at her is bothering her as she sips on the cup.

It's been a whole month since they started working together, and he's so joyful that Takane can't help to think he's probably in the wrong job. He's grimacing when she has to be harsh with people, always insisting to try keeping a cooler head instead of going straight ahead to draw her hands to a gun. Takane chooses to ignore him. What does he know? She might be understimating him in some ways, but his softness will be nothing but trouble for himself.

The coffee has sugar in it. It's not terrible, just the right amount to let it go, but it still is sweet. Takane doesn't like _sweet._

"Thanks," she mumbles, swallowing back any mean comment. She's too tired for now. He seems euphoric by that small answer, but it's a little affected by a bit of nervousness again after Takane adds, "I take my coffee black, though."

"A – ah, well, I'll get it right tomorrow, Enomoto-san!"

She only nods, trying to focus on work instead. Haruka goes back to his own work too, and Takane already wants it to be lunch break.

* * *

 

It's dead silent in the car, but it always is, and it might be like this forever, so Haruka decides to start getting used to the fact Enomoto Takane does not like him. And that he's bluntly aware of it.

He's not used to that; he's learned from a young age that if he smiles, then everyone will automatically treat him nicely and smile back. Something that has had effect on his surroundings indeed; this person is the first to huff at his _good morning's_. Which worries him, because of all people, Takane is right now the last one he'd like to have a bad relationship with.

Since, well, they have to work together and spend a _huge_  amount of time together. Is it really ridiculous and he's asking for too much or this woman is simply cold blooded? The second option is most likely, as Haruka has barely seen her smile, always being in a sarcastic or derisive way. It's hasn't been a long time, but time sure enough. How can someone be so...

_Grumpy! How can she be so grumpy...?_

His eyes narrow to her direction, sure that she wouldn't look back since her gaze is busy towards the road. By fortune– because the way Takane drives scares Haruka enough to have her also unaffected by little care. The first few times he believed those were only coincidences, but after several rides together, Haruka understood Takane, ironically, doesn't care about speed limits. Where on earth could you find a police officer ignoring _rules_?

But the time he's offered to drive, Takane hasn't been happy. He doesn't know how he made through the day without dropping tears at her constant sharp glare.

He's insistent, and he knows it, but he insanely wants to get along with her. He can't let her hard-to-get attitude get to win; at some point, she'll have no other option than soften up, right? She's still human, after all.

_...Is she?_

Haruka shakes his head, amused by his own dumb joke. _Yes,_ he thinks, _she is._

There's some kind of knock that sounds small, and Haruka's the one to turn around to see where it came from. It's the person handcuffed in the back of the car, tapping the glass that separate him from the officers in the front seat.

"I'm didn't do anything!" he repeats for what seems the millionth time, and Takane sighs exasperated. "When can I get a lawyer?"

"Oh my god, we haven't even arrived to the precinct yet," weirdly, Takane's the one to answer, considering she's been an entire void of silence since heading off at morning. The car's parked in a matter of seconds, so she takes the chance to turn around and shoot a glare at the man sitting in the back before opening the door. "Listen closely; I'm only supposed to do the arrest part. Then, whether you actually are guilty or not isn't in my hands. I had an arrest order and I took it. Now do me this _simple_  favor and shut that mouth of yours."

She sounds too scary for a person her size, and also almost like a nagging mother. A _way_  too frivolous nagging mother. The man huffs flippantly, but does as he's told and doesn't say any more words. Haruka feels as if she's just shutted _him_  up, so he doesn't dare to say a thing either. Takane slams the door when she's out, to do god knows what, leaving Haruka to ponder over if he should also get out of the car.

_Hm, but thinking about it, someone has to watch Mister innocent meanwhile. Not like he can do much handcuffed in a locked car, though..._

He decides to stay, and to kill some time he turns on the radio. The one that he always offers to turn on, only to receive a strict response from Takane saying a roturn no. It's only to fill the awkward silence or to muffle whoever is shouting back there they're innocent, so Haruka doesn't understand why not.

And he doesn't ask why either. Not because Takane intimidates him, not at all. Maybe a little, but that's aside the point. The reason he doesn't ask why nor discusses over when he doesn't agree with her don't have anything to do with her scary attitude, he swears.

Takane doesn't take long at all to come back anyway, so Haruka reluctantly turns off the radio again just when he was able to catch a song he liked (he's not really into idols, but Kisaragi Momo just has a really pretty voice.) He's glad he stayed when she sees she apparently went to buy something for herself. _Wait–_

"You bought your lunch?" he wants to laugh, actually a little concerned if she's even allowed to do that during what's still practically work. Well, the guy's still in their care, isn't he? Therefore they're working, right? At least, things worked that way in the precinct he used to work in.

"Yeah, so?"

"Nothing, it's just..."

"You guys go and have lunch while you're ruining my life, go ahead!" the annoying guy goes at it again, and it's starting to even pester Haruka a little, so he can't imagine how Takane might be feeling about him. He doesn't think this man is a nice person. As he was handcuffed and leaving the house, he yelled a lot of rude words to his own children and wife. No, definitely not a nice person.

"We should get tape for their mouths along the handcuffs," Takane mumbles, letting out a heavy sigh. Her comment, rarely enough, manages to get a giggle out of him, which draws her attention. It's strange, but he thinks to have seen the flash of a smile on her face. There's no way to tell, as her permanent seriousness is back by the second he focus entirely on her.

She's about to start the car again when something else holds them here. The something else is actually a someone, someone who makes Haruka inevitably jump on his seat when seeing him. There's a boy making a goofy face at the window from Takane's side, sticking out his tongue and tapping endlessly the glass.

"Takane-chan! Takane-chan! Takane-chan!" he keeps repeating, trying to get her to look at him, because she seems more focused on leaning her head on the steering wheel as she whispers a curse Haruka couldn't bring himself to repeat. "Can't you see me? I'm right here!"

He watches the way Takane approaches her hand to a button, one of her slender fingers pressing it not very gently. Haruka does what he does and stares at her hands; they look pretty and elegant despite the lack of grace and the blue nail polish that was falling away already–

"Takane-chan! It's good to see you!" Haruka realizes the button was to open the window, and the person that was formerly frosting the glass with his breath is now talking directly to her. "It's been a while!"

"Yeah, I guess that's because you stopped doing illegal stuff," Takane deadpans, making the other boy laugh in spite she doesn't seem to be joking. Then, he seems to have acknowledged Haruka's presence and his mouth drops open, which makes him think of him as kind of exaggerate.

"Takane-chan, I don't mean to alarm you but, there's a male specimen in the car, like right next to you..." he whispers to her, even if it was quite obvious he'd heard. "I thought you were allergic to those."

"I'm talking to you literally right now," she says, as if offended. She still gestures poorly at Haruka as she nods, and maybe he's imagining things but she looks almost resigned. "And yeah, he's, uh, my new partner. Kokonose... something, Hikaru?"

"...Haruka," he corrects her, trying to laugh off the fact it's kind of sad she couldn't get it right. At least she did get his second name. Takane nods, seemingly letting him say it himself instead, so Haruka clears his throat before talking, "Ah, I'm Kokonose Haruka. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh~ so polite!" he grins, placing a hand on the left side of his chest dramatically. "Shuuya Kano, nice meeting you too!"

Then, he reaches his arm inside the car and in front of Takane, looking for a handshake that Haruka awkwardly complies to. She coughs, so he quickly takes his arm out of the car, since he apparently knows her enough to know it's best to not make her wait.

"Be careful with Takane-chan, Haruka-kun! She's like a hard rock. But mean and with a gun," Kano says, getting a glare from Takane as a response, and a small laugh from Haruka that Kano seems satisfied with. "She's the one that used to arrest me all the time. No matter what I'd do, there she always was, waiting for me with handcuffs. And not for sexy times, that would have been preferable... no, no, Takane-chan actually arrested me. Many times. Isn't she mean?"

"God, as if you weren't doing anything!" she can't help a laugh, and Haruka's immediately taken back by it, nonplussed at her change of expression and attitude. There's a _genuine_  smile on her face, and that was also a genuine laugh increased by Kano's small joke. "But I don't have to anymore, right? Since you've finally became a civilized citizen and all."

"Of course! The fact it's been so long since we last saw each other is a proof of it~" he also laughs, but proudly, not affected the slightlest by her sarcasm. "Considering everytime we interacted was when I was shoving unpaid stuff into my pockets."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, I gotta get going and get this loser out of my car, you know?" she moves her head slightly towards the back, earning a muffled "Hey!" from the resigned man. "See you around, and for the love of god, _behave_."

"Yes, ma'am!" he saluted her, only to start enthusiastically waving as the window slowly rises to its original place.

Kano walks away and Takane's face comes back to her usual frown once she starts the car, just when Haruka thought she had brightened up. He's been has been a loss of words himself, so Haruka doesn't try speaking to her. It's not like she'd look happy to answer to him as she is to answer Kano. Or Ayano or Kido, or people at the precinct that she knows and laughs with.

_It's like she becomes a complete different person..._

Then it clicks to him that she just has a first hard layer.

He'll have to get through if he wants to get along with her, so just as he thought, sooner or later she'll be left with no options but to soften. That, or she really doesn't like him and he's being a bit dumb for comparing himself to her "friends." Haruka decides to stick to the first option, it's more motivating. Yeah, he'll somehow make this partnership work.

"Hey, I was just on the phone with Kido," it surprises him when she talks, although he's settled down once he realizes it's about work. "She has a new assignment for us. I don't wanna waste time so don't ask for details, it's just an arrest order."

Haruka only nods, because silent and obedient is what Takane doesn't glare at.

* * *

 

Stretching herself once she lifts her head from the desk, she rubs a hand on the back of her neck in hopes that'll somehow easy the pain. Great, she fell asleep in the office again. Fortunately, she didn't stay through the night; Kido'd nag at her again if she did, claiming that this isn't a hotel room.

_If it was, it'd have some harsh reviews from my part._

Another good new is that Haruka doesn't seem to be around for now. God knows where he is, not like Takane cares. What she actually cares about is that today's work is over, and she can go home already. It's true that tomorrow, she'll have to wake up early again and she'll even have to go to a hospital again to interrogate doctor. _Again_.

She recognizes she fits the stereotype of a lazy officer quite well. It's no secret she honestly doesn't like working. At all; her poor grades back then at school are a proof of it. Maybe the only reason to take this job and studies was that it included certain things she actually liked; like guns and crime cases. Of course she's bumped into a lot of interesting things, she hasn't been disappointed at all. The cons were the ones she's expected, but as the time went by, these only grow and grow.

Or maybe, she's the one growing, just like her bitter attitude. Not in a psychological-lame kind of way. In the way she's getting older and she's still a cranky person who takes the easy way out of work.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, she brings a hand to her forehead as she tries to loosen the grip of her tie. Just how much until Holiday season? Takane isn't in the mood to start counting, but she knows there are months ahead before any kind of vacation, which brings her down again.

Then she senses the distinct smell of coffee above her nose, and she remembers there is a good thing in life aside sleeping without worries, and that is coffee. Of course that in the way there is getting up and _make_ it, but it'll be worth it. After all, she _is_  about to head off, which inevitably means going along her own routine to have one more cup.

It's been so tedious lately. So boring, so stupid, so stressful. It changed, and in spite she'd like to deny it, it might be because of Kenjirou. Yes, Takane can't believe she misses him.

He used to make mornings a little more joyful. She knows she only remembers it that way, with love, because at those times she didn't consider it "joyful" at all. He'd only be annoyingly insisting her to smile, or else she'll have a hard time finding a husband.

_"Which is a shame, with that pretty face of yours."_

How embarrassing to know those comments actually made her lips tug upwards, Takane thinks as she gets up of her seat. God, is she becoming the old one now? She regrets a little having called Kenjirou "old" so many times. How old even is her new partner...?

Conveniently, her partner steps into the office just as his name crosses her mind. She looks at him rather confused, as she has assumed he had already gone home.

"Here's some coffee if you want," he says, and there's a sweet tone behind his notably nervous annoucement. She takes the cup he offers, a little surprised, and then he speaks up again. "It's black this time! I'll, um– be going home for today. Good night, Enomoto-san!"

Takane sighs, sitting down again as he starts to gather all his things scattered around his desk. She coughs, barely bringing herself to say it out loud, "Just "Takane" is fine. No need to be that formal."

Well, yeah, she doesn't like him nor his enthusiasm. His face nor his slow pace nor his pacifism. But, it is true they'll be working together and it just makes sense.

Haruka seems nonplussed for a moment, blinking at her as if he's trying to process what he just heard. His face then brightens up, even a hint of a happy blush spreading on his cheeks once he nods. "Y – yes, of course! You can also call me by my first name, then!"

"Yeah, I guess," she shrugs, sipping on the cup, relieved that he's done it right this time and there's no trail of sugar whatsoever. She points a finger at him, to which Haruka jumps slightly when noticing. He's about to open the door, but she clear her throat to hesitantly say, "...Hikaru?"

"It's Haruka."

"Right."


End file.
